


very versatile

by GreenMuffinRanger (FuzzyPurplePenguins)



Series: Jurassic Days [8]
Category: Power Rangers, Power Rangers Dino Charge
Genre: Gen, Tommy Oliver Color Confused Sage With a Goatee, Tommy Oliver Rainbow Ranger
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-08
Updated: 2015-03-08
Packaged: 2018-03-16 21:05:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3502724
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FuzzyPurplePenguins/pseuds/GreenMuffinRanger
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I'm the color-coded welcome committee," Tommy says. "Minus two colors and four other people."</p><p>or: Tommy goes to Amber Beach as a sort of ambassador to talk to the new rangers, but ends up chatting with the one person who really needs his wisdom.</p>
            </blockquote>





	very versatile

**Author's Note:**

> A while ago, when I asked what other former rangers I should start slowly adding to the series, Nhi said "Tommy."
> 
> Now, don't get me wrong. I love Tommy. I also like to poke fun at his various color changes, and have his original teammates do so as well.
> 
> RUSHED ENDING IS SLIGHTLY RUSHED AND I CAN'T FIGURE OUT HOW TO FIX IT.
> 
> I've started to use a "generation" timeline with the rangers in all my fics, which goes as so:  
> "First generation" = MMPR - In Space.  
> "Second generation" = Lost Galaxy-Wild Force.  
> "Third generation" = Ninja Storm-Jungle Fury.  
> "Fourth generation" = Samurai, Megaforce, & Dino Charge.  
> (And then RPM and SPD are waaaay off in the future)

" _You've reached the voicemail of Dr. Thomas Oliver. I'm unable to come to the phone currently, if there's a Code Z emergency please call Jason Lee Scott._ "

**_Beeeeeeeeeep._ **

" _Ayyyye, Tommy! It's Rocko! You've been nominated by the first generation to go give the Welcome-to-the-Family speech to the new baby dinos. We all figured it was just easier to send the Rainbow Ranger in this year instead of juggling five schedules! Toodle pip!_ "

Tommy stares at his phone in both horror and resignation.

"Every. Year," He sighs, and pockets the device.

They pull this _every year_ , he really just needs to start blocking numbers.

**_xxxxxxxxxx_ **

"Welcome to the Dino Bite Cafe," Riley greets, the smile on his face anything but fake - he has a job, a boyfriend, three best friends, and he's a Power Ranger - waiting as the older male in front of him surveys the place. "Would you prefer a booth or a table?"

Dressed in nearly all black, hair spiked up and a goatee sprouting from his chin, the customer looks down at him.

"Booth," He says, then pauses. "I like your shirt."

It's green, fairly simple and mostly covered by his work apron. "Thank you..." Riley trails off as he leads the customer towards the nearest open booth.

"Good color. Very versatile," The man says, and okay now Riley's a little more then confused.

He drops a menu on the table, says, "Your server will be out shortly!" and high-tails it back into the kitchen.

**_xxxxxxxxxx_ **

_Very versatile_. What had possessed him to say that?

He pulls out his phone, dials the one person he know won't make fun of him...too much.

" _Hayley Ziktor_."

"I just told the green ranger his color was very versatile," Tommy says without any proper greeting. "I have no idea what to say. It wasn't hard with Conner, Kira, and Ethan."

" _You were their science teacher, accompanying them on a detention_ ," Hayley says dryly. " _Look, they're dino rangers - that's a point of common interest right there_."

Tommy hesitates, and then says, "But what if they don't even like dinosaurs?"

" _You're hopeless_ ," Hayley tells him.

A quick cough alerts him to a presence nearby, and Tommy looks up to find a brunette holding a clipboard, dressed very professional, standing next to his table.

"Dr. Thomas Oliver," She says. "I'm Kendall Morgan, I run the museum."

"Hayley, I gotta go," Tommy says, and hangs up on her.

"May I sit down?" Kendall asks, and then sits opposite of him when he nods.

"You know of me," Tommy says, looks at the sharp young woman across from him.

"I do," She says easily. "You're...a forerunner in both circles of my work."

The Oliver's eyebrow raises. "Is that so."

"I think the real question here, Dr. Oliver, is: which career path has brought you to Amber Beach?" Kendall's eyes narrowed on him, and Tommy would know that look anywhere; the need to protect the team, to make sure they're safe.

"I'm the color-coded welcome committee," Tommy says. "Minus two colors and four other people."

"You're a bit late," Kendall informs him. "We've already had some of your...colleagues drop in on us."

"Conner and Kira? No, I'm the ambassador from the first generation," Tommy tells her.

The brunette's eyebrows furrow together, and it sparks a bit of pride in the 'Rainbow Ranger' that she doesn't know what he's saying.

"You wouldn't understand," Tommy waves his hand.

"I'm their mentor," Kendall says fiercely, there's a fire in her that's going to serve the new team well.

"There's a difference between being a ranger and a mentor," Tommy says gently. "There are parts to each job the other can't comprehend, and you have to respect there are parts of the community that you cannot be a part of."

Kendall's jaw clenches tightly. "But..."

The male pulls out a business card and flips it over to scribble numbers on the blank side. "I didn't say that you weren't part of the community at all. Those numbers, they've been what you've been through," He smiles at her.

The young brunette takes the card, stares at it. "Thank you."

"If I may share one more piece of wisdom?"

Kendall nods stiffly.

"You're a family - all of you. It's not good to push them away because you think it'll be easier," He says, and knows he's hit the nail on the head when she stiffens. "You need them as much as they need you."

And then he's rising out of the booth as his phone vibrates again, Hayley's number, passing by the server approaching the table who's wearing a red tee and looking confused.

Tommy whistles to himself as he pulls out his phone and texts Jason- **_Got called back to work. Send someone else if you need to_**.

He's sure they'll be more than fine.

**Author's Note:**

> I have a headcanon that Rocky loves to annoy Tommy by being as annoying as possible, thus the "toodle pip" comment.
> 
> Leave prompts and ideas in the comments below, and seriously come talk to me!
> 
> My tumblr is thatwritermojo.


End file.
